Skipper Heaton admits he could move

Heaton has not featured in the Premier League since September last year, after suffering a dislocated shoulder, with Nick Pope and now Joe Hart keeping him out of the side since his return.

The 32-year-old – capped three times by England – has played in the Europa League and Carabao Cup, but explained: “It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to see that it’s going to be difficult to fit us all in. Come the January transfer window, I’ve got to keep my ­options open.

“The one thing I’ve been consistent about in my career is moving clubs in order to play games.”

A calf problem ruled him out of the European ties with Aberdeen, when his chance came and went: “I felt really at it – back to 100%.

“Then I picked up a slight calf injury and I ended up missing the Europa League games against ­Aberdeen.

“Popey played in them and then he suffered the same injury as me.

“So the manager decided he would bring in Joe Hart.

“Joe was thrown in against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Europa League. The manager then kept him in for the ­weekend for the first Premier League game of the season at Southampton, which was frustrating for me.

“I can’t lie. That was tough. ­Obviously, I knew Joe well and have great respect for him, but, to be perfectly honest, I was ­expecting to play.”

Sean Dyche has spoken about the competition between Heaton, Hart and Pope, when Pope is fit again in a couple of months or so, accepting he won’t be able to keep them all happy: “It’s easier at the moment, because common sense applies, injuries, fitness, game ready.

“In the longer term we’ll see. In the long run there’ll be someone who won’t be as happy, quite obviously.

“But we’re not there yet, we’ll sort that out when we come to it.

“Those are the challenges you want as a manager, you want that level of competition where someone can’t say and some form of disappointment occurs because they’re not playing every week.

“There’s a debate because of the numbers and the three England goalkeepers. But what a great position to be in for this football club.

“Six years ago we had 18 players trying to get out of the Championship, now we’ve got three England goalkeepers in the camp.”